Nick Reiner Seeks Trust Payout, Says Much of Funds Came From Grandfather Carl Reiner — Not Covered by Slayer Statute

Nick Reiner has asked a civil court to release trust funds he says largely originated with his grandfather, Hollywood legend Carl Reiner, arguing those assets are not subject to California's "Slayer Statute," which bars beneficiaries who caused a decedent's death from receiving an inheritance.

Legal Fight Over Trust Money

In newly filed court papers obtained by TheWrap, Reiner's attorneys pressed trustees to unlock funds that have been withheld. The 32-year-old screenwriter — charged in the December fatal stabbings of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner — says he needs access to the money to pay for defense counsel after high-profile attorney Alan Jackson withdrew in January citing lack of funding.

Argument: Funds Originated With Carl Reiner

Trust fiduciaries have relied on California's Slayer Statute to justify denying Reiner access. That statute prevents a person who caused a decedent's death from receiving an inheritance flowing from that death. But Reiner's lawyers counter that a substantial portion of the disputed trust came from Carl Reiner, who died of natural causes on June 29, 2020, at age 98.

"Nick's grandfather died on June 29, 2020. Nick is not accused of causing his death," the filing states. "Money that was left to Nick by his grandfather is not money received by Nick from or through his parents. To the extent the funds Nick received from his grandfather are Nick's personal assets, they remain Nick's and should be segregated and released from this Trust. Even if they were properly held by the Trust, the Slayer Statute does not supply a basis for withholding them."

Payments Scheduled Before Parents' Deaths

Reiner's team also notes that some distributions were irrevocably designated for him independently of his parents' deaths. According to the filing, Reiner's parents set funds aside to be paid in two installments — half at age 30 and the remainder at 35. Nick turned 30 on Sept. 14, 2023, and, the filing says, at least $558,000 became due that day while his parents were still alive and before any accusations had been made.

The lawyers argued that the Slayer Statute "takes away what a person receives as a result of someone's death," and therefore should not apply to distributions that vested while the parents were living. They urged the court not to "freeze a presumed-innocent man's own untainted money until after the trial," warning that withholding the funds would deprive Reiner of the ability to obtain counsel he could otherwise afford.

Criminal Case Status

Reiner was indicted last month on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents in their Brentwood, California home, including a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait. He was arrested in December hours after his parents were found dead and has been held without bail since his arrest.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that prosecutors will not seek the death penalty in the case, noting that the office consulted with Reiner's siblings and considered mitigating and aggravating factors before deciding capital punishment was not appropriate. If convicted, Reiner faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. No trial date has been set.

What Happens Next

The civil dispute over the trust will be decided separately from the criminal case. The court will need to evaluate the trust documents, the provenance of the funds, and whether any portion is legitimately shielded from the Slayer Statute. For now, the contention centers on whether money originating from Carl Reiner (and any distributions that vested before the parents' deaths) should be segregated and released to Nick.